Quinoa and Lentil Salad with Feta and Herbs

Ingredients

This is one of those recipes with a long ingredient list, but it’s actually incredibly easy to prepare. If you have a local Greek / Turkish or Arabic greengrocer, head on in as they will have the freshest and most fragrant ingredients, especially herbs.

• QUINOA: The backbone of the salad. It’s nutty, light, and holds up well even after a few days in the fridge. I like to use tri-colour quinoa, but any kind works well.
• LENTILS: Brown or green are ideal here. They add substance and earthy flavour without dominating. I like to cook lentils myself, but if you’re in a hurry, use well drained canned lentils. Don’t use red, they’ll collapse (but if you have red lentils, make my Turkish Red Lentil Soup!)
• FETA: Salty and creamy, it balances the sweet and sharp elements in the salad. Add it at the end so it keeps its shape.
• FRESH HERBS: Flat-leaf parsley and mint are non-negotiable. Coriander/cilantro is optional, I know it’s polarising, so leave it out if you hate it. It is very popular in Cyprus, especially the seeds.
• RED ONION: I love red onion and use it instead of brown onions in most dishes. Dice it finely so it doesn’t overpower, and soak it in the lemon juice to lightly pickle it – this will keep it from overpowering the salad.
• GREEK YOGHURT: Forms the creamy base of the dressing. Keeps things light but satisfying, and the combo of yoghurt, honey and cumin is *chef’s kiss*!
• LEMON JUICE: Used in both the salad and the dressing. Lifts the flavours and stops everything from tasting flat. No lemon? Use a good quality red wine vinegar. Also, add as much as you feel the salad needs, we all have different taste buds.
• OLIVE OIL: Essential for the dressing and finishing. Choose a good one! It’s hard to get Cypriot olive oil abroad, but olive oil from Crete is very good in this sort of dish.
• DRIED CRANBERRIES: A little sweet, a little chewy a little tart. Offsets the feta and capers. If yours are very sour, you might want a touch more honey. No cranberries? Use sultanas, raisins or chopped dried apricots.
• GRAPES: Probably showing my age here, but I love grapes in all sorts of salads. Dark seedless grapes are sooo good in this, the add a nice bit of acidity and pop in your mouth. Trust me.
• TOASTED SEEDS: For crunch and contrast. Use what you’ve got. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, pine nuts, but definitely toast them first for extra flavour. I often buy mixed bags of seeds and just dump the whole lot in.
• CAPERS: Confession time, I love capers so much I can eat them directly from the jar! They cut through the other flavours in this salad and keep things interesting.
• HONEY: Just a little in the dressing helps balance this salad and make it extra more-ish. Adjust depending on the sweetness of your dried fruit.
• CUMIN: Adds warmth and a subtle earthy note to the dressing.
• SALT & BLACK PEPPER: I don’t normally make a special point of highlighting these everyday ingredients, but it is important here! Don’t hold back. The grains, lentils, and yoghurt all need a decent amount to bring out their best.